Are you looking for the best nootropic stack for yourself?
Here is my list with all nootropics I tested in 2019.
You’ll find my 30-day reviews, benefits, side effects, ingredients and a comparison between all of them on this page. I will update this nootropic overview from time to time.
Last update: July 13, 2019
Neurohacker’s Qualia Mind
Qualia Mind is a premium nootropic stack made by Neurohacker Collective. In a nutshell: It’s my favorite nootropic (stack) so far.
Benefits
- Easier to focus & harder to distract
- Faster in a Flow state
- Broad ocean of awareness / Increased overall presence
- Improved my Quantified Mind scores by an average of 7.4%
For me, Qualia Mind is really unique in adding what I call “the broad ocean of awareness” to the increased focus. No other nootropic could do that for me yet. If you apply the basic principle of Flow, which means working 90 – 120 minutes uninterrupted on one task, it will probably accelerate your learning, execution, and quality of work.
Side Effects
In the first week of taking Qualia Mind, I took it first thing in the morning before breakfast. I had slight stomach upsets for about an hour after taking it on the first two days. Here is how I resolved those side effects: Instead of before breakfast, I took them with breakfast. Pretty simple solution.
Qualia Mind Ingredients
Pricing & Dosage
Qualia Mind’s suggested dosage is 7 capsules a day with 5 days on and 2 days off a week. For me, this worked fine.
| Purchase | Price | Supply at Suggested Dosage |
| One time | $139 | 154 capsules = 1 month supply |
| Monthly Subscription | $119 | 154 capsules |
| Monthly Subscription First Month | $69.50 | 154 capsules |
| Discount Code* | -15% | Code: MAXHUG |
Pricing Update July 2019:
As of July 13, 2019, Qualia Mind is currently sold out. Shipping will start again on July 15th.
Links
Neurohacker’s Qualia Focus
Qualia Focus is made by the same Neurohacker Collective that also makes Qualia Mind. Qualia Focus is a lower budget version of Qualia Mind.
If you wanna learn more about the differences in Qualia Focus vs. Qualia Mind see the comparison below which also explains the 4 compounds missing in Focus and the one compounds where Focus actually as a higher dosage than Mind.
Benefits
- Increased focus
- Faster “in the zone” / in Flow work mode
- Harder to distract
It works especially well if you follow the basics of Flow triggers: 90 – 120 min uninterrupted work on one task combined with 8 hours of sleep a night.
Side Effects
I didn’t experience any side effects with Qualia Focus.
Qualia Focus Ingredients
Pricing & Dosage
Qualia Focus’ suggested dosage is 5 capsules a day with 5 days on and 2 days off a week. I actually took less: For me, just 3 capsules a day were totally enough to get the benefits. Through this, one bottle lasts longer than a month for me.
| Purchase | Price | Supply at Suggested Dosage |
| One time | $69 | 100 capsules = 1 month supply |
| Monthly Subscription | $59 | 100 capsules |
| Monthly Subscription First Month | $34.50 | 100 capsules |
| Discount Code* | -15% | Code: MAXHUG |
Links
Onnit’s Alpha Brain
I actually went to the Onnit Gym in Austin Texas and bought my bottle of Alpha Brain there. I know a lot of people who take Alpha Brain but was not convinced due to the side effects I experienced.
Benefits
- Increased Focus
- Less distracted
Again getting the basics right is super important to get the benefits out of nootropics.
Side effects
- Heart palpitations
- Nervousness
Alpha Brain is the nootropic I personally experienced the worst side effects. This also the only nootropic I know multiple people who claim to had negative side effects, too.
Alpha Brain Ingredients
Interestingly Onnit does not state the precise amounts per ingredient for most active compounds. Instead, Onnit states the amount per serving of multiple ingredients combined as “Onnit Flow Blend”. Therefore most ingredients below state a value of “n/a”.
| Ingredient | Amount Per Serving |
| Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine HCI) | 10 mg |
| Onnit Flow Blend | 650 mg |
| L-Tyrosine | n/a |
| L-Theanine | n/a |
| Oat (straw) Extract | n/a |
| Phosphatidylserine | n/a |
| Cat’s Claw (bark) Extract (ac-11) | 350 mg |
| Onnit Focus Blend | 240 mg |
| L-Alpha GPC | 139.6 mg** |
| Bacopa Extract (aerial parts) | 100 mg |
| Huperzia serrata Extract (aerial parts) [Standardized to 1% Huperzine A] | 400 mcg |
| Onnit Fuel Blend | 65 mg |
| L-Leucine | n/a |
| Vinpocetine | 5 mg |
| Pterostilbene | n/a |
**Based on simple math: 240 mg Focus Blend minus 100 mg Bacopa extract (which is stated) minus 0.4 mg (400 mcg) Huperzia serrate Extract (which is also stated) equals 139,6 mg.
Other ingredients: Vegetarian Capsule, Maltodextrin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Rice Hull Concentrate (NuFlow)
Pricing & Dosage
The suggested serving size is 2 capsules a day with no days off. Onnit offers different bottle sizes. Here is the overview with all of the available ones as of July 13, 2019.
Note that Onnit currently only ships Alpha Brain to U.S. shipping addresses.
| Purchase | Price | Price per month*** | Supply at Suggested Dosage |
| One time | $79.95 | $53.30 | 90 capsules = 1 ½ month supply |
| One time | $59.88 | $59.88 | 60 capsules = 1 month supply |
| One time | $34.95 | $69.80 | 30 capsules = 15 days |
| One time | $18.75 | $80.36 | 14 capsules = 7 days |
| Subscription (Every 2 weeks to 3 months) | -15 % | -15 % | On any bottle size |
***Assuming you buy one month supply in the same bottle size
Links
Opti Nutra’s Mind Lab Pro
Opti-Nutra is a UK company based in London who manufactures a nootropic stack called Mind Lab Pro in the United States.
They claim that Mind Lab Pro
meets the brain’s complex needs with 11 nootropics working in 6 bio-pathways to optimise a wide array of cognitive functions
Mind Lab Pro’s website
I’ve tested it for 30 days and here is my personal assesment.
Benefits
- Increased focused and thereby more productive
- Less distracted by surroundings
I am currently writing this nootropic overview on Mind Lab Pro. I really like the effect of focus and productivity. Specially on this low dose of just 2 capsules a day.
Side Effects
I did not feel any side effects from Mind Lab Pro.
Mind Lab Pro Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount Per Serving |
| Vitamin B6 (as BioGenesis) | 2.5 mg |
| Vitamin B9 (as BioGenesis) | 100 mcg |
| Vitamin B12 (as BioGenesis) | 7.5 mcg |
| Citicolin (as Cognizin) | 250 mg |
| Bacopa Monnieri (as full spectrum extract with 24% bacosides with 9 bioactives) (aerial parts) | 150 mg |
| Lion’s Mane Mushroom (full spectrum) (fruit) | 500 mg |
| Phosphatidylserine (as Sharp-PS Green from sunflower lecithin) | 100 mg |
| N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine | 175 mg |
| L-Theanine (as Suntheanine) | 100 mg |
| Rhodiola Rosea (3% rosavins, 1% salidrosides) (root) | 50 mg |
| Maritime Pine Bark Extract | 75 mcg |
Other Ingredients (the boring non-active ones): NutraCaps Pullulan Capsules, NuFlow Rice Concentrate.
Pricing & Dosage
The suggested dosage is 2 to 4 capsules a day with no days off. I personally like the effect of 2 capsules. Mind Lab Pro offers no subscription but a discount if you order more than one bottle.
| Purchase | Price | Supply at Suggested Dosage |
| One bottle | $65 / €55 | 60 capsules = ½ to 1 month |
| Two bottles | $130 / €110 | 120 capsules = 1 to 2 month |
| Four bottles (3+1 Deal) | $ 195 / €165 | 240 capsules = 2 to 4 months |
Links
Qualia Mind vs. Qualia Focus
| Qualia Mind | Qualia Focus | |
| Benefits | + Easier to Focus + Harder to distract + Faster in Flow + Overall awareness + Increased Quantified Mind | + Easier to Focus + Harder to distract + Faster in Flow (more narrow) |
| Side Effects | + none**** | + none |
| Ingredients | + 22 active compounds + higher dosages | + 18 active compounds |
| Pricing as Subscription | $119 | $59 |
| Dosage | 7 capsules a day | 5 capsules a day |
| The Hug Score | 5/5 | 4/5 |
**** Besides from my slight stomach upset in the first days which was gone after I took Qualia Mind with breakfast instead of an empty stomach
Comparison of Benefits
No doubt: I prefer Qualia Mind over Qualia Focus. The overall awareness is unique in Qualia Mind and the Flow state seems to be wider and more creative. Qualia Focus works but just not as well as Qualia Mind.
Comparison of Ingredients
Qualia Mind uses 22 active ingredients whereas Qualia Focus ‘only’ got 18 active compounds. Some of the active compounds are in a higher dosage in Qualia Mind.
Vitamins
Both nootropic stacks contain the same amount of Vitamin C, D3, B6, B12 as-well as Niacin and Pantothenic Acid.
Active compounds
These four active compounds are missing in Qualia Focus:
- Pyrroloquinoline Quinone
- DHA (as Docosahexaenoic Acid from Algae)
- Phosphatidylserine (Sharp-PS Green)
- Cognizin Citicoline
Dosages
Qualia Focus is lower in these compounds:
- Acetyl-L-Carnitine HCI (250 mg vs. 500 mg in Qualia Mind)
- Artichoke Stem and Leaf Extract (5% cynarin) (300 mg vs. 500 mg)
- Thodiola rosea Root (150 mg vs. 300 mg)
Interestingly Qualia Focus uses higher dosage of Alpha-Glyceryl Phosphoryl Choline (Alpha GPC): Qualia Mind uses 200 mg whereas Qualia Focus uses 300 mg.
Summary
Overall you get a great bang for the buck with Qualia Focus. It’s got most of the ingredients of the higher priced Qualia Mind but for half the price. Still if you want the best performance I’d recommend Qualia Mind for the added broader awareness.
General Nootropic Advice
Do Your Own Experiment
In the biohacking community, there is the saying ‘Your mileage may vary’.
Which means that all biohacking optimization and habits including nootropics can have a different effect on everyone.
Steven Kotler from the Flow Research Collective likes to say:
Do your own experiment
Steven Kotler
This is what I am doing and sharing on my blog here. And trying out 2 – 3 different nootropics can definitely help to feel the different effects between them.
This is no medical advice. Results can vary and these are my personal experiences with the above-mentioned nootropics.
Master the Basics
The bad (or good?) news is: There is no pill that can fix an unhealthy lifestyle.
Get the basics right for your mind and body:
- 8 hours of high-quality sleep
- No coffee after 11 am
- Meditate, do yoga or some sort of embodied cognition exercise at least 2 – 3 times a week
- Find some inspiration on my biohacking habits list
The Basics for Flow
Do one project or task without interruption for at least 90 minutes.
Which means: Your phone is in airplane mode, your Gmail tab is closed and you tell your co-workers politely to leave you alone for 90 minutes. Even better: Stay away from an office with co-workers and do home or remote office for the day.
The ‘classic’ flow research (#1 & #2) shows that you need 60 to 90 minutes to get into a Flow state. From my experience (especially with Qualia Mind) this can happen within 20 minutes with the right basics and the right nootropic stack.
Footnotes
*If you use those coupon codes, you get the best price plus an additional discount and I get a small commission that supports this blog and my biohacking nerd experiments, a true win-win 🙂